No. 1 MLB Draft picks since 2004

No. 1 MLB Draft picks since 2004

Gerrit Cole (2011), Bryce Harper (2010) and Stephen Strasburg (2009) are three of the last No. 1 overall picks from the past 10 MLB Drafts. Click on to see the 10 and how they've fared — one is actually doing prison time and Gabe Kapler interviewed him for a FOX Sports feature. NOTE: All stats through May 30, 2014.

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2013: Mark Appel — Houston Astros

The right-hander went 3-1 with a 3.79 ERA in 10 starts for two Class-A clubs after being drafted, but had an appendectomy in January. That slowed his prep for 2014, and it showed. Plus, not being used to a five-day routine — it was seven the year before and during his Stanford career — the 22-year-old struggled at High-A Lancaster, posting a 6.23 ERA in four starts. So the Astros decided to send him to extended spring training in Florida, but claim there's nothing to worry about.

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2012: Carlos Correa — Houston Astros

Correa was drafted when he was 17 and attending the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School. The shortstop is hitting .317 with five homers and 46 RBI for High-A Lancaster. In 2013, his second year in the Astros' farm system, he hit .320 with nine homers and 86 RBI at Class-A Quad Cities.

Getty ImagesMark Cunningham

2011: Gerrit Cole — Pittsburgh Pirates

The right-hander was the No. 1 overall pick as a 20-year-old while at UCLA. Cole debuted in the majors two years later and beat the Giants by holding them to two runs over 6 1/3 innings on June 11. He won his next three games and finished the year 10-7 with a 3.22 ERA and 100 K's in 117 1/3 innings. In 2014, he leads the Bucs rotation with five wins. Career MLB stats: 15-10, 3.44 ERA, 163 K's in 30 starts.

Getty ImagesJim McIsaac

2010: Bryce Harper — Washington Nationals

The Las Vegas native was picked as a 17-year-old catcher, who the Nats moved to the outfield. At 19, Harper debuted in the bigs on April 28, 2012, made the All-Star team and won the NL Rookie of the Year — hitting .270 with 22 homers and 59 RBI. He was an All-Star in 2013, and finished his sophomore campaign, shortened by nagging injuries, with a .274 batting average, 20 homers and 58 RBI in 118 games. Career MLB stats: .273, 43 HR, 126 RBI, 30 SB in 279 games.

Getty ImagesScott Cunningham

2009: Stephen Strasburg — Washington Nationals

The San Diego State righty was drafted six weeks before turning 20. He quickly climbed through the minors and debuted on June 8, 2010, fanning 14 Pirates in a win. He set a record with 32 K's in his first three starts, but needed Tommy John surgery in late August. Returning in 2012, he led the NL in April with 34 K's, was an NL All-Star, and finished the year 15-6 with a 3.16 ERA. In 2014, he's considered one of the top arms in the game. Career MLB stats: 33-23, 2.99 ERA, 594 K's in 87 starts.

Getty ImagesMitchell Layton

2008: Tim Beckham — Tampa Bay Rays

Drafted out of Griffin (Ga.) High School at 18, the shortstop spent his first three years in Rookie- and A-ball. Beckham played Double-A and Triple-A in 2011 and was selected to the All-Star Futures Game. But in 2012, he was suspended 50 games for a second positive test of (non-PED) drug abuse. Returning in 2013, he played 122 games at Triple-A Durham and was a September call-up, singling in his first MLB at-bat. He went 3 for 7 (.429) with one RBI and no K's in five games for the Rays. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL in December and will miss most of the 2014 season.

Getty ImagesAl Messerschmidt

2007: David Price — Tampa Bay Rays

It didn't take long for the lefty out of Vanderbilt to climb through the farm system. Price didn't pitch for the Rays in 2007, but as a 22-year-old in '08, he was a combined 12-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 19 starts from Class A to Triple-A. He debuted on Sept. 14, 2008, out of the bullpen and pitched in five games, making one start. Price made the rotation in 2009 and has been there since, making three All-Star teams and winning the 2012 AL Cy Young with a 20-5 record, a 2.56 ERA and 205 K's. Career MLB stats: 75-43, 3.28 ERA, 966 K's in 164 games (159 starts).

Jerry Lai-USA TODAY SportsJerry Lai

2006: Luke Hochevar — Kansas City Royals

The University of Tennessee righty climbed the minors and debuted on Sept. 8, 2007, out of the bullpen. In 2008, he was in the rotation, but went 6-12 with a 5.51 ERA in 22 starts. Despite opening '09 in Triple-A, he was back in the majors after six starts, and by 2011, he was KC's Opening Day pitcher. He took a step back in 2012, finishing 8-16 with a 5.73 ERA. Moved to the 'pen, he fared better in 2013, going 5-2 with a 1.92 ERA in 70 1/3 innings. Unfortunately, he tore a UCL in spring training of 2014 and had Tommy John surgery. Career MLB stats: 43-61, 5.10 ERA, 613 K's in 190 games (128 starts).

Getty ImagesTom Szczerbowski

2005: Justin Upton — Arizona Diamondbacks

The younger brother of 2002 No. 2 overall pick B.J. Upton, Justin was drafted as a 17-year-old out of Great Bridge High School (Chesapeake, Va.). Justin ripped through the minors and, at 19, debuted with the D-backs on Aug. 2, 2007. He won the right-field job in '08 and was an NL All-Star in '09, a season when he led Arizona in hitting (.300). He made the All-Star team again in 2011 and finished fourth in the NL MVP voting after hitting a career-best 31 homers. He was traded to the Braves before 2013, joining his brother, who signed as a free agent. Career MLB stats: .277, 148 HR, 466 RBI, 93 SB.

Getty ImagesScott Cunningham

2004: Matt Bush — San Diego Padres

Bush was the first high school shortstop taken with the No. 1 pick since the M's selected A-Rod in '93. But Bush's story took a much different path. He became MLB's third No. 1 overall pick to not make the bigs. But he's not just out of baseball, he doing time in prison. For Gabe Kapler's column on his 2014 visit and interview of Bush at the Hamilton Correctional Institution in Jasper, Fla., click here.